10 Designer Buys That Have Reached Cult Status Among Fashion Insiders

by Kristen Nichols

The year in luxury fashion has pointed to a new direction for the designer space. Women entered the world of watches in a new way, both from an expert POV and a shopping standpoint. Smart long-term investments dominated conversations among style insiders. "Quiet luxury" became an inescapable buzz phrase that shaped 2023's defining aesthetic. In a large part, these themes in the luxury space translated to the top-selling products and the in-demand pieces that have reached cult status among fashion insiders.

Many of the year's hottest buys continue to dominate the shopping space. Alaïa's ballet flats remain one of the top-requested pieces flooding the DMs of product sourcers—the mesh version was one of the most impossible-to-find shoes of the year, and the just-released metal-strap style is already selling out. Newer-to-market designs are picking up momentum as well, including Chanel's Mary Jane flats. The white ballet flats from the brand's S/S 24 runway were one of the most sought-after pieces from the spring collections. While that exact version has yet to drop, the fashion house has a similar patent-leather version available now. Ahead, take a closer look at the best designer shopping buys to invest in now.

Photo:

@ariviere; @iliridakrasniqi; @neelam.ahooja

Perhaps no singular piece represents the quiet-luxury movement more than the Margaux bag from The Row. The discreet, streamlined design is absent of any logos, yet it has a shape that is immediately recognizable. If you know, you know. The bag became hugely popular among the celeb set—Kendall Jenner, Zoë Kravitz, and Jennifer Lawrence have each been spotted with the bag. The fashion set, too, can't get enough of the piece. While there is a range of sizes available, the 15 is the most popular since it works as a sizable tote that is still practical enough to carry every day.

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Prada; Getty Images; @ellymcgaw

Prada is one of the buzziest brands of the year, and the floral-embellished shoes made a major impact everywhere, from the runways to the street style scene. The architectural shoes are finished with three-dimensional flowers and wings that practically take them to the level of art objects, and fashion insiders simply can't get enough of them. The moment they hit stores, Instagram was flooded with dressing-room photos of stylists and creators test-driving the shoes. They were also the ninth hottest product in Q3 of 2023, according to The Lyst Index.

Photo:

@nicoleakhtarzad; @dimepiece.co; @sophiaroe

In the last several years, women have entered the watch space in new ways. In the past, it has been a largely male-dominated space, but we're seeing a fresh female perspective on timepieces with new experts like Brynn Wallner of Dimepiece and Trang Trinh of Girls O'Clock. We're also seeing more women shopping for watches. One of the pieces winning out? The Cartier Baignoire. The Baignoire was originally designed in 1906, and the watch is available in a range of styles, including leather bands and metal bracelets. A new style set on a bangle bracelet was introduced at Watches and Wonders earlier this year and quickly became "the talk of the town," according to The New York Times.

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@deborabrosa; Alaïa; @gabwallerdotcom

Alaïa's ballet flats point to the larger flats trend that has swept fashion this year. Flat shoes dominated in every possible iteration, from pointed slingbacks to classic ballet shoes. It was the unexpected styles with modern updates that truly won out, including the see-through mesh ballerina flats from Alaïa that continued to sell out the moment they were restocked. Looking ahead, we're seeing huge demand for a just-released version finished with a metal-hardware strap. Word to the wise: Order them now if your size is still available.

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@laurareilly___; High Sport; @leandramcohen

No singular clothing item has gone viral quite like High Sport's Kick Flare Pants. Fashion experts from all corners of the industry weighed in about them in a column for Laura Reilly's Magasin. They are a favorite of fashion veterans, including Lauren Santo Domingo, Leandra Medine Cohen, and Ramya Giangola. The queen of cool herself, Chloë Sevigny, has also been singing their praises and took to Instagram this week to share this: "I haven't taken off these High Sport pants since they arrived, from travel to evening and everything in between!"

Photo:

@threadsstyling; @walesbonner; @sourcewhere

I have been patiently waiting to see which sneakers will follow the buzz around Adidas Sambas. So far, Sambas have shown no signs of slowing down and are picking up even more momentum as new colorways and iterations arrive to market. Breathing even more life into the sneakers are the styles designed by Grace Wales Bonner. The designer has reinvented the sneakers with details like contrast stitching and an extended tongue. The latest collection is so popular that few sizes remain available at traditional retailers, but you can still find more on sneaker marketplaces like StockX.

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Loewe; @darjabarannik

The moment the Loewe Squeeze Bag debuted, it became one of the most-photographed pieces on the street style scene during fashion month over the summer. Designed with a soft leather tote suspended on a chain and handle, the bag has reached high levels of demand and has been spotted on celebs such as Greta Lee, Sofia Richie Grainge, and Emily Ratajkowski. Rising to the level of bona fide It bag, the piece has continued to sell out the moment of its restock and is mostly only available to preorder, but I tracked down where you can still add one to your cart.

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Chanel; @filippahagg

When I spoke with product sourcer Gab Waller recently to find out her insights on luxury fashion, she shared the top yet-to-be-released product she is already fielding requests for. "It may come as no surprise that the requests for Chanel spring/summer 2024 have already started to filter in, with the most requested style being their runway white ballet flat," Waller shares. The shoes also went viral on Instagram following Chanel's S/S 24 runway collection, and we're predicting they will be one of the It pieces of 2024. While we may still need to wait for the white CC version to drop next year, Chanel has a similar patent version that comes in burgundy and black that insiders are already snapping up.

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@kristenmarienichols; Charlotte Chesnais

French jewelry designer Charlotte Chesnais has developed a signature style of sculptural jewelry that the fashion set can't get enough of. The winding Trip jewelry, specifically, has risen to cult status and is available in a variety of styles, including bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. The bracelets, in particular, have emerged as a cool layering piece that the style set is pairing with watches since the swooping design encases the timepieces on the wrist.

Photo:

@endlesslyloveclub; @clairerose

Loro Piana is one of the OG brands we could attribute quiet-luxury designs to long before the buzz phrase entered the fashion sphere this year. The brand's sophisticated, timeless designs have a cult following among some of the best dressed people who turn to the brand for its luxe cashmere, pouch bags, baseball hats, and suede loafers. Recently, the brand's sleek leather ballerina shoes have become another cult item fashion people are snapping up. Designed with pointed toes, low stacked heels, and minimal lines, they are winning out as effortless everyday flats.

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